Addressing the Skilled Trades Workforce Crisis BY MATT PRIDGEON, VICE PRESIDENT WEST REGION, LOENBRO Our industry faces an urgent and growing need for qualified tradespeople and professional staff. Market trends like onshoring, federal stimulus and aging infrastructure have amplified a significant labor shortage. Factors such as regulatory changes in the Inflation Reduction Act, insufficient skills training in primary and secondary education, and a retiring workforce have created a perfect storm of demand for skilled workers, particularly in field leadership roles. As President Donald Trump noted in 2018 during the rollout of his executive order on workforce development, “Many of these jobs require skills training, but not a college degree. Yet for too long, both the public and the private sectors have failed to develop innovative and effective training programs.” This challenge has become more urgent than ever. To overcome this crisis, the industry must address several key drivers: the lack of perceived dignity in trade careers, insufficient educational opportunities and an increasingly burdensome regulatory environment. Together, we can build a workforce ready to deliver excellence for decades to come. CONSTRUCTIOn ADVOCATE 27
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